Aeroplane.



D. M CALHOUN.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3, 1913. 1 987 $QL Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FW mzz'eZ, Midway t %mm/m D. M. CALHOUN.

AEROPLMH].

APPLICATION FILED MAR. a, 1913.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

4 SHEETS-BHEET 2.

I H L WITNESSES 4 TTOHIVEVS D. M. CALHOUN.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. a 1913.

j VJ?Q% Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

4 SHEBTS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES lm/mrofi Em w; M (kl/"202m mvonmfm D. M. CALHOUN.

AEROPLANE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 3, 1913.

L7794 Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

WITNESS s I Z agg a 7 a 01m I I flame I ATTORNEYS nee-ted therewith a.vibrator adapted to inrv in t'PltU it it girth lid mime .annornan'n.

reenter.

Application filed March 3,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DANIEL M. CALHOUN, acitizen of the ,lnited States, and a resident I of Clarke, in the parishof Caldwell and sea of Louisiana, have invented a new and Improvedileroplane, of which the follow-- ing is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention is applicable to monoplanes or biplanes, and it relatesparticularly to a form of plane in which the front portion isessentially rigid and non-vibratory, while the rear portion is vibratoryand has conpart short and rapid vibrations in a vertical plane. Thevibratory rear portion of the plane is continuous with the rigid frontportion, so that the upper and lower surfaces of the complete plane arecontinuous, while at the same time the rear portion. which is flexible,constitutes in effect a Fishtail pro- Specification of Letters Patent.

pcller. The plane preferably is curved, the curve decreasing; toward therear. lhe vibrating of the rear portion of the plane may exert a.propelling force auxiliary to that of known propellers with which theaeroplane may be equipped, or may be utilized alone as a prol'iellingmeans.

The distinguishing features of my invention, and the important.structural elements characterizing the preferred practical enibodimcntswhich are. illustrated as examples, will be more particularly explainedin the specific description hereinafter to be given.

Reference is to be had to the :t(.(5()lll1)i1ll ing drawings forming apart of this spot-iii cation, in which similar characters of reten onceindicate corresponding parts in all the news.

Figure 1 is a partly sectional side elevatlon of :1V biplane embodyingmy invention: Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic rear view of the vibratordevices; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the plane and the vibrator devices; li'g. 4 is an enlarger detail vertical section of a por tion of the planeon the line -t--l of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a detail transverse sectionalelevation of the plane and a portion of the i'ibrator devices; Fig. (5is a side view on an enlarged scale of one of the arms attached to theplane, and with which .the vibrator means are connected; Fig. '7 is arear edge view showing a pair of arms such as shown in Fig. .6, andother details to be hereinafter referred to; F S ish detail plan View ofa lateral brace baremployed between Patented lteh. ll if, 191s. sin-m1No. 751,756.

I the ribs of the yilanejal ig. 9 is a sectional side elevation of a.monoplane embodying my invention; Fig 10 is an enlarged, detailsectional side elevation of the actua igdevices for vibrating; the planeand big. 11 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section of the plane.

in constructing a biplane in accordance with my invention, of anyapproved design. I provide upper and lower planes 10, sustained at thefront by posts 11, and at an intermediate point by posts 12. Anysuitable motor 13 maybe. mounted on the machine, and rearwardlyextending frame bars 14 may be employed to carry any approvedarrangement of steering rudder (not shown). it the =front of the machinethere extend in front of the plane, forwardly ranging framellltlllbtl'o' 16, the frames converging and in yu'actiw, tiarrying attheir point of intersection a horizontal elevating rudder (not shown).l. have indicated in the monoplane (Fig; 9) an elevating rudder 21.. Thenachine is pro vided with a lever 11". connected by a rod l8 with theusual steering rudderjand is equipped with the lever 19 ha ving, a'rod20, which in practice, will lead to the elevatingrudder in front, theseparts being ol an} approved form and arraiigeinent.

My improved planes are made-up of parallel ribs ranging fore and aft,the several ribs being connected by forward transverse bars 23 andtransverse bars 2 1- on a, line rearward of the front edge. The severalbars are covered at the top and bottom by a. sheet. 2:") of canvas orequivalent material, the upper and lower stretches of which are suitablyunited by rows of stitching 26, to maintain the canvas taut. 'lhe ribs252 are of gradually reduced thickness toward the rear ends. and inorder to support the upper layer of the canvas flush with the uppersurfaces of the cross bars '43, 2i, I employ a strip 27, of cork oritsflequi alcut. on the upper surface of each rib in [the rear of theback cross bar El and iapeiling from said cross bar rearwardly. Betweenthe front and rear cross bars an additional strip 537 is secured, saidstrips 2', 25 having their upper surfaces flush 'with the cross bars.

The posts ll, 12, and the cross bars J3, 2i, maintain the front portionsof the ribs substantially rigid and non-vibratory. The rear end of eachrib at the rear of the back cross the general type may be bar 24 isfree. and unbraced vertically, in order that the rear ends of the ribsmay be capable of receiving rapid, short vibrations in the Verticalplane by vibrator devices connected at points 28 (Fig. 11) between therear edge and the transverse bar 24. Adjacent to the point of connection28 for the vibrator means, the rib is preferably given increasedthickness, as at 29.

Rocker arms 30 are rigidly secured to certain of the ribs 22, preferablybetween the upper and lower ends of the said arms, that the latter maybe suitably trussed,'as hereinafter explained. The arms 30 areapproximately perpendicular to the ribs, and connected with said arms bywrist pins 31 or the like, are connecting rods 32, which have connectionalso-with a crank shaft 33 having suitable hearings in the framemembers. Preferably, rearwardly converging diagonal frame members 34,35, are provided to support the crank shaft 33. The shaft may be drivenfrom the engine 13, by any suitable means, such for instance as a belt36, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, running over a pulley 37 on acounter-shaft 38 driven from the drive shaft 38. The rearwardlyconverging bars 34, 35, are connected suitably as'at- 34, with the frontpost 11 and with the rear post 12, as at 34 35 and crossed braces in theform of wires or rods 39, 40, are provided between the mentioned pointsof connection.

The driven shaft 33 which communicates vibratory movements to the planehas a plurality of cranks 41, and the cranks and the arms 30 andconnecting rods 32 are provided.

at intervals between the ribs 22. To steady the crank shaft and balancethe same, a balance wheel 42 is provided, and in order that the lattermay be driven at high speed, it is mounted on a counter shaft 48 havinga spur pinion 44 in mesh with a spur gear 45 on the crank shaft 33.Balance wheels 42 are provided in suitable number desirably to equal innumber the cranks 41.

' To brace the plane laterally and resist lateral strain on the ribs 22,theseveral ribs near their rear ends are braced by interposed transversebars 46, made up in short sections to fit between adjacent bars 22. Anysuitable joint members 47 are provided; -these are shown conventionallyin Figs. 8 and 5 and one form is illustrated in detail in Fig. 7. Thecoupling members in the illustrated form have loops or openings 48, toreceive the ribs 22, and lateral arms 49 extend from s the {loops in.opposite directions to receive the ends 50 of the brace bar sections46. The ends of certain of the brace bar sections may have tenons 51which enter mor'tises 30 in the arms 30. The provision of the brace barsections 46 serves to unite and brace the, flexible rear ends of theribs 22, so 'that a vibratory motion imparted to certain of the ribswill cause all the ribs to vibrate in unison.

The arms 30 are trussed by truss wires 52 the ends of which areconnected as at 53.

with the joint members 47,.or other elements along the line of the bracebars 46, whereby as will be seen from Fig. 5 the arms 30 constitutestruts. Auxiliary struts 54 are provided at each side of the arms 30,and of less height, so that the truss Wires 52 and strutelements 30, 54,form a diamond-shaped structure. Additional guy wires 52 extend over theends of the arms 30 diagonally to the adjacent joint members 47,asindicated clearly in Fig. 5. The described construction contributes tothe transverse bracing of the flexible portions of the ribs to cause allto vibrate in unison. In Fig. 9 is illustrated a monoplane'in ,which anengine 13 is mounted on any suitable body 13". The structure includes apost 12 to which the plane 10 is suitably secured adjacent to the reartransverse bar 24* of the plane, and converging diagonal frame elements12*extend from the ends of the posts 12 to a suitable connection withthe front cross bar 23 of the plane. The elevating rudder 21 is mountedin the converging terminals of forwardly extendingbars 16*. The crankshaft 33" actuates the connecting rod 32, which is connected also at 31with the rocker arms 30 which are similar to the rocker arms 30. Theplane includes the strips 27 and 27 applied to the ribs 22 as describedin connection with the biplane. The crank shaft 33 is provided with aspur gear 45 in mesh with a spur pinion 44 on a counter-shaft 43, thelatter shaft having also a fly wheel 42.

It is to be understood that the crank shaft 33 is driven at high speedand will thus, through the connecting rod 32 and rocker arms 30, cause avery rapid vibration of the rear portion of theplane, the vibrationsbeing short. It will be obvious that the vibrating portion of the planewill result in a propelling action somewhat after the manner of afish-tail propeller. The air currents at the I I do not limit myselfstrictly to the me-.

chanical details herein illustrated, since manifestly the same can beconsiderably varied without departing from the spirit of Y theinvention.

Having thus described my invention, I

memes new, and desire to secure by Lelitens:

i. on aeroplane, comprising a .i sine, ii piano inonniod therein andhaving; 'ils MJIli; portion heid siibstsniiel 'v rigid, 'ihe resrportion the piano b ingr flexible, end hiii'h si'ieei'l vibrator devicesconnected with the ll 'bie portion. o2; the piano and l Wing a liniitmlmov to impart short and. very rapid Vibraeions to the said 1' ,Tiporiion of the plane. I

rin aeroplane, comprising s pisne how ins; s vil'iretory portionextending from its rear edge forwardly, and extending: laterally thefull width oi the plane considered. transversely to the longitnclinzilaxis of ti o eeri'vplzine, a frame having members sustain- ,ing Thefront portion of the plane rigid and non-yibrstorv, and ii. lii rhspeed. "vibrator moans conneoeed with ihe plane it the rear poi'lionsand adopted to ii'opiiri; io the Tab for; throughout u vibrziiions inihe verb l or-icon 1 I plane.

1 having liiS roar n and in n vorcieiii rho lbrnliory rear portion beingso tinnens with The none? "sigory 'i'roni; portion. of the plane, ovibreuor means con necked with said vii-story no'i'iiiian, and beans foractuatin the soif vibrator means,

4,111 on seroplsne, piano made of e i.ion-- 'ibrstory, front oorsion,and e Able portion mining; a; snhsL-sir ,on of the p oiui the-iron c norear nor l being; a fishosil ins; i

ow .1; rising 1 1. shoes curved nlane, the log tor-rare he rear the ilbeing moie, and ons so the o through on serogo r me ri e on rearportion 11 Width, short, rapid the ,ribs rigid and nonw'ibriitory, therear portions of the ribs free and flexible, means for uniting the rearportions of he ribs transversely, end means for imparting rapidvibrations to the rear POTiTiOjilS oi the ribs ii vertical plane.

8. in an aeroplane, e plane comprising ribs extending fore and aft andspaced from each other transversely, a transverse bar unitingsaid ribsat the front, :1 second transverse bar uniting said ribs rearward of thefront be and at ti 9 top of the said ribs, strips applied to the ribs atthe top, the upper surface of the said strips being substantially flushwith the cross bars, the rear ends of the said ribs tapering, a sheetmaterial applied to the ribs, transverse bur sections interposed betweenthe bapered rear roar of the'ribs, a rocker arm connected with said ribsadjacent to the bar sections, ind high speed vibrator means conneciedi'v-ith said rocker arms.

9, in an aeroplane, a plane comprising ribs exlending fore and sit andspaced "rapid Vibrations rhereto in the ,veriicsl plane.

e po t, :i plane havingribs extending fore and aft and connected withsaid post, the rein portions of the ribs being flexible, :1, cm she k,rocker arms rigidly secured to certain of iahe ribs, end connecting rodsconnea ed with the hid rocker arms and with the crank sha'li't.

iii. ""1 an aeroplane, s plane comprising ribs emending :iore and andspaced "i; transversely, means sustaining the i 011?; portions of shesaid ribs rigii the mar ends oi ribs being lo to vibrate in i rerticeiohms, sheet materiel. 01L 'ricd by said ribs and eniending continuouslyover igid and .iilexible porfiionis iheijeoi,

h .1 of she ribs to vibrate ihe eine'in L vertical plsne.

12, in so aeroplane, plane comprising isierisi oerried by said.

i'zriinsversoly, sheet in ribs, the 1 er poi ens for "re.

ning; the from;

portions of the ribs on. a line forward of the sport transversely, therear ends of the means connected with the plane intervziisat theflexible portions of the ribs, to lrnpero 10. in an aeroplane, ii framecomprising s extending" fore and off; and spaced spare the ribs beingposh. vi the ribs rigid and no ibrotory, conseoii. members ending the Were].

' connecting rod, and means for plane at points imparting high speed tothe said crank shaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name .to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

DANIEL M. CALHOUN. Witnesses:

NEAL FULLER, RUFUS E. VVlLsoN.

